The Ljubljana Forum 2024, held on 3-4 October at Ljubljana Castle and Rog Centre, brought together experts, city leaders, scientists and industry representatives to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can shape the future of urban environments. The theme of this year's Forum was the creation of "ideal cities of the future" through sustainability, smart technologies, inclusion and resilience. Among the prominent participants was Damir Medved, director of EDIH Adria, who presented pioneering approaches in the digital transformation of the energy sector and the development of self-sustaining communities.
Smart energy grids for a sustainable future
Medved's presentation, titled Smart Renewable Energy Grids for Communities and Municipalities, stressed the transformational potential of AI and IoT technologies in the energy sector. The key idea was to move to the concept of “prosumers” – citizens who not only consume energy, but also produce, store and share it. The implementation of this model enables more energy efficient communities with an emphasis on renewable energy sources.
By using AI microservices and IoT sensor networks, the project optimizes energy consumption and integrates services such as charging electric vehicles and open energy trading systems. The BECKN protocol, presented as a key element of this approach, enables interoperability between different platforms, providing flexibility and scalability of solutions for different communities, from urban to rural.
Technology at the service of citizens
The Forum often highlighted citizens’ needs as a driving force for smart urban solutions. Medved stressed that digital technologies can make citizens' daily lives easier, reduce energy costs and improve resource efficiency. In addition, open systems such as the BECKN protocol ensure transparency and user-friendliness, which is crucial for wider user acceptance.
The EDIH Adria project also promotes the use of electric vehicles and decentralized energy systems that encourage sustainable mobility and reduce the carbon footprint of communities. Connecting energy networks to mobility services paves the way for fully digitalised and sustainable communities of the future.
Collaboration for scalable solutions
The Forum emphasized the importance of cooperation between the public and private sectors, European funding and local communities in order to successfully implement such projects. EDIH Adria, through its presentation, showed how joint efforts and innovations can lead to real changes on the ground.
The use of European funds and the involvement of various stakeholders, from city administrations to industrial experts, makes it possible to test and disseminate these solutions at regional and international level. Medved's presentation was a strong reminder that technological solutions should be directed towards the specific needs of the community, with a focus on the quality of life of citizens.
Inspiration for the future
The participation of EDIH Adria at the Ljubljana Forum 2024 has clearly shown how innovative technologies, such as artificial intelligence and IoT, can be key to creating sustainable and smart cities. The Forum provided an opportunity for knowledge exchange, networking and inspiration for new projects, and EDIH Adria has reaffirmed its role as a leader in digital transformation and sustainable development in Europe.
This participation underscores EDIH Adria's commitment to developing innovative, practical solutions that can have a long-term impact on sustainability and quality of life in communities across Europe. The report from this year's forum can be download here.
English 
Croatian 
Italian 